Continuous motion labeling machine



Nov. 29, 1955 H, D MANAS 2,725,156

` CONTINUOUS MOTION LABELING MACHINE Filed Nov. lO, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 29, 1955 H. D. MANAs CONTINUOUS MOTION LABELING MACHII'E 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 10, 1951 INVENTOR. He/mw .0. A14/w45 BY Armen/5K5 Nov. 29, 1955 H D, MANAS 2,725,156

" CONTINUOUS MOTION LABELING MACHINE Filed Nov. l0, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 L\@ @535g N c NOV. 29, 1955 H. D. MANAs 2,725,156

CONTINUOUS MOTION LABELING MACHINE Filed Nov. l0, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Nov. 29, 1955 H. D. MANAS CONTINUOUS MOTION LABELING MACHINE Filed Nov. l0, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 29, 1955 H. D. MANAs 2,725,156

CONTINUOUS MOTION LABELING MACHINE Filed Nov. lO, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Vf Ti lm. *40 11.0 4/ :l

INVENTOR. 1:1. ll #5MM/V MM45 BY United States Patent-O CONTINUOUS MOTION LABELING. MACHINE Herman D. Manas, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignors to M. R. M. Machinery Co., Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 10,1951, Seal No. 255,855

Claims. (Cl. 216-55) This invention relates to labeling machines and more particularly to a continuous Amotion labeling machine for containers such as bottles or cans or other objects of similar shape in which such containers are fed in clamped condition and in a sequence on a continuously traveling conveyor along a linear path of travel past a position where labels removed individually from a label magazine and on one face or side of each of which adhesive is spread after removal of the labels from the magazine are applied successively to successive containers with initial wide band surface adhesion between the adhesive bearing face of each label and the container to which it is applied to retain the labels in proper location on the respective containers. Subsequently, the containers bearing labels with wide band adhesion are moved by the conveyor to succeeding locations along the linear path of travel of the conveyor where pressure pad mechanisms of novel construction moving toward and away from the containers and in a portion parallel with and at synchronous speed with the speed of travel of the conveyor acts to press the entire adhesive bearing faces of the labels into complete adhesive contact with the containers bearing them. Thereafter, the label bearing containers are unclamped relative to the conveyor and are moved by the latter to the delivery end of the machine.

Objects and features of the invention are -to provide simple, novel means for removing labels individually from the label magazine and for transferring them individually for initial wide band adhesion to individual containers and to provide means for applying adhesive to the adhesive bearing surface of each label during its transfer.

Further objects and features of the invention are to provide simple effective means for feeding the containers in determined spaced apart relationship for clamping upon the conveyor and to provide means for clamping the spaced apart containers relative to the conveyor and for maintaining clamped condition of the containers on the conveyor during their linear movement through the machine while labels are being applied to the containers.

Further objects and features of the invention are to provide novel effective pressure pad mechanisms located to operate on the labels of containers bearing labels, as initially adhered thereto with wide band adhesion, to complete the adhesion of the entire adhesive bearing surfaces of the labels to the containers without interrupting the continuous movement of the conveyor.

Further objects and features of the invention are to provide label waste avoiding means which will prevent withdrawal of labels from the label magazine when there is no container on the conveyor in a position to have a label applied thereto. f

Still other objects and features of the invention are the provision of means to prevent smearing or spreading of adhesive on to label carrying parts of the machine when no labels are actually carried by said parts. y

Yet other objects and features of the invention are the provision of a continuous motion labeling machine of relatively simple mechanical construction that Will operate 2,725,156 Patented Nov. 29, 1955 effectively and rapidly in applying labels to containers, that may be changedover readily to operate effectively in applying appropriate labels to containers of various shapes and dimensions, and wherein, when changeovers are required, the part requiring replacement will be few in number and any needed adjustments of other parts simply and quickly effected.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specication and accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l illustrates an assembly of the machine taken in vertical section along line 1 1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken along line 2 2 of Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along lines 3 3 of Fig. 6 illustrating details of construction of the means for removing labels from a magazine, means for applying adhesive thereto, means for transferring adhesive bearing labels for application thereof successively to containers moving pasta selected position in the path of travel ofthe container bearing conveyor and also illustrating mechanism for preventing application of adhesive to the transferring means if no label is carried thereby;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section, partially broken away taken along line 4 4 of Fig. l, illustrating details of construction of container feeding and spacing mechanism and of safety means or mechanism elements to insure proper spaced relation of containers for sequential feed thereof to the aforementioned label applying position and also to insure cut-off of label supply when no containers are on the conveyor to which labels can be applied; n

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken along line 5 5 of Fig. 4 illustrating details of the container feeding and spacing mechanism;

. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical elevational viewviewed generally in the direction of the arrows of line 6 6 of Fig. 2 and illustrating in detail features of the label pickolf and transfer mechanism;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan View of the novel pressure pad mechanism by which the complete adhesion of labels to succeeding containers is effected after their initial wide band application thereto;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken along line 8 8 of Fig. 7 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken along 9 9 of Fig. 8 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. l0 is a partially sectionalized elevation viewed along line 10 10 of Fig. 1l of drive mechanism for various of the moving parts of the machine; and

Fig. l1 is a partially sectionalized view taken along line 11 11 of Fig. 10.

Referring in detail to the drawings and rst to Figs. 1 and 2, the various mechanisms of the machine in assembly are arranged with reference to a table 10. These mechanisms include generally, means for conveying the containers, means for clamping the containers on the conveyor, a label magazine, means for withdrawing labels individually from the magazine, means for transferring labels froml the withdrawing means for application to the containers, means for applying adhesive to the labels during transfer, and pressure pad means for pressing the entire adhesive bearing surfaces of the labels into intimate adhesive contact with the containers. These means are positioned above the surface of the table 10, while the major portions of the mechanical drive for supplying motive power'to operate the various means just described are located below the table and are enclosed by a protective casing.

A conveyor comprising an endless chain 11 issupported horizontally above the top of the table 10 by the sprockets 12 and 12a carried by brackets 13, 13a secured to a horizontal shelf 13e mounted onthe top of table 10. The individual links 14 of the chain 11 have flat outer plates 15 secured thereto so' that as the chain 11 is rotated by the sprockets, the upper horizontal iiight of the chain consists of a substantially horizontal surface defined by the plates 15 and moves over the upper face of shelf 13e. The shaft 16, for example, of the sprocket 12a is driven in a continuous manner as will presently be described, so that the upper horizontal flight of the conveyor 11 moves continuously from right to left in direction of the arrows A shown in Fig. l.

A rear guide rail 18 is positioned to lie above the upper flight of the conveyor at its far side and extends in parallelism therewith. This guide rail 18, extends substantially the full length of the upper flight of the conveyor. A front guide rail 19 is suitably positioned above the upper flight of the conveyor in parallelism with the guide rail 18 extending, however, as seen in Figs. 2 and. 4 from the extreme right end of the machine only a short distance leftward to just short of a position I hereinafter called the transfer location of the machine. The guide rail 19 is mounted to be adjustable toward and away from the rear guide rail 18 in any suitable way. The purpose of adjustability is to render the machine capable of accommodating differently sized containers to which it may be desired to apply labels.

As seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the containers C to which labels are to be applied are placed either manually or mechanically in any suitable way on the upper flight of the conveyor between guide rails 18 and 19 at the extreme right hand end of the machine. The bottoms of the containers rest on the at plates 15 on the upper tiight of the conveyor. Friction between the bottoms of the said containers C and the surfaces of plates 15 causes forward feed of the containers between the guide rails 18 and 19 leftward toward the aforementioned transfer location I.

A retarding member 21 is positioned for movement periodically into and out of the path of linear travel of the containers C on the upper iiight of the conveyor 11. This retarding member 21 is cam operated for periodic movement. In one position it lies in the path of travel of the containers C on the conveyor and in another position it lies clear of the path of travel of the containers on the conveyor. The timing of operation of the retarding member 21 is such that during each period of clearance not more than two of the containers C will pass the retarding member 21 so that there will be no jam of containers in their travel on the conveyor between the location of retarding member 21 and a lcontainer feeding and spacing mechanism 22 which latter is adapted to feed and space the containers accurately for their further forward movement on the conveyor 11.

As seen in Figs. l, 2, 4 and 5, the feeding and spacing mechanism 22 comprises a pair of spaced apart discs 24 and 25 both supported fixedly on a vertically extending rotatable shaft 26. This shaft 26 extends downwardly through and below the table being rotated as will be presently described.

In the embodiment shown, the discs 24 and 25 each have the respective diametrically, oppositely-disposed pairs of recesses 24a and 25a. lf the containers to be labelled are cylindrical, these recesses 24a and 25a are substantially semi-circular in shape. lf the containers have other shapes, the recesses 24a and 25a will have other shapes. The two discs 24 and 25 are fixed on shaft 26 so that there is vertical alignment between pairs of slots 24a and 25a. The diameters of the discs 24 and 25V are such that they project transversely over the upper ght of the conveyor plates 15, the disc 24 overlying the guide rail 18 and the disc 25underlying it.

The recesses 24a and 25a are arranged with respect to the periphery of discs 24 and 25 so that their innermost walls will be substantially tangent with a plane defining the inner surface of the guide rail 18. The purpose of the recesses 24a and 25a on the respective discs 24 and 25 is to periodically receive a container C delivered thereto by the conveyor 11. While a container C is lodged in a pair of said recesses 24a, 25a rotation of the discs 24, 25 acts to feed the lodged container C forwardly positively, thus insuring the timely arrival of the individual containers C at the transfer location I.

The shaft 26 carries a cam 27. This cam has two diametrically opposite `high portions 28, 28a. A cam follower 29 is carried by a rock arm 30 which is pivotally supported on a vertical shaft 32 and a lspring 33 acts to bias the cam follower 29 against the cam 27 The high portions 28, 28a of the cam 27 act when shaft 26 is rotated to move the retarding member 21 periodically out of the path of travel of containers C on the conveyor 11, twice for each revolution of said shaft 26. The relative speed of the conveyor with respect to the periodic clearance movement of retarding member 21 is sufficient to allow not more than two containers C at a time to pass the retarding member 21 before it again is moved into the retarding position of Fig. 4 relative to succeeding containers'.

A second endless chain 38 (Fig. 1) is trained around a pair of sprockets 39, 40 carried by a vertically adjustable frame 41. The frame 41 is guided slidably upon the fixed vertical posts 42. A pair of vertically arranged feed screws 43, each threadedly engaging a nut 44 fixed to the frame 41 are provided for elevating and lowering the frame 41 on its guide posts 42 to any desired elevation above the table 10. Sprockets 45 secured to the feed screws 43, and interconnecting chain 46, and a hand wheel 47 secured to one of the feed screws 43 serve for rotating the feed screws 43 in unison for desired elevational adjustment of the frame 41 and consequently of the endless chain 38 relative to the container conveyor 11.

In the embodiment shown, the lower Hight of the chain 38 extends in parallelism with the upper night of the conveyor 11 and overlies the latter. The sprocket 40 of chain 38 is driven through a conventional gear box 5t) that is slidably supported on a driven vertical `shaft 51 having the vertical keyway 52. Shaft 51 is driven as will be presently described so that sprocket 4t) imparts a linear speed to the chain 38 that is identical with the linear speed of the conveyor 11, the direction of motion of the lower ight of chain 38 and the upper flight of conveyor 11 being the same.

Container clamping means 54 are carried at uniformly spaced apart point on the outer periphery of the endless chain 38. Each such clamping means 54 includes a bracket 55 secured to the chain 38. A rock arm 56 is supported pivotally from each bracket 55 for rotation on an axis extending transversely of the width of the chain 38. A pad 57 of resilient material, for example, rubber or the like, is carried by each rock arm 56. A compression spring 58 biases each rock arm in a counter-clockwise direction as seen in Fig. l for purposes to be presently described. A cam follower roller 59 is supported by each rock arm 56 lying at one side of the chain 38 in a position to engage a fixed cam 60 during movement of the chain 38 around sprockets 39 and 40. This cam 69 is, as seen in Fig. l, positioned adjacent the right hand sprocket 39 so that as the chain 38 moves around said sprocket 39". cam follower rollers 59 of successive of the clamping means 54 successively engage cam 60 which acts on these cam follower rollers 59 as they'engage said cam 60 to rotate the succeeding rock arms 56 clockwise in opposition to their respective compression springs 58 so that the respective pads 57 are lifted clear of the upper ends of successive containers C arriving at the transfer location. The spacing of clamping means 54 on the chain 38 is such that as the successive containers C are delivered individually to the transfer location by the feeding and spacing means 22 hereinbefore described, one of the container clamping'means 54 arrives at the transfer location at the 'same tirn'e, with itsv pad 57 lifted' clear of the top of the particular container C arriving at that time. Substantially, at the instant of such arrival of the clamping means 54, its cam follower roller 59 rides off the cam 60 and its compression spring 58 swings its pad 57 into clamping engagement with the top of the particular container C. The spring 58 causes the particular pad 57 to press the engaged container C rmly against the upper ight of the conveyor 11 thereby clamping it in a fixed position on the conveyor 11. Since the linear speed of the conveyor 11 is identical with the linear speed of the endless chain 38, the clamped container C thereafter moves forwardly in clamped condition between the upper flight of the conveyor 11 and lower Hight of chain 38 in fixed relationship relative to succeeding containers for purposes presently to be described. As each container C completes its traverse of the length of the lower flight of the chain 38, the pad 57 of clamping means 54 holding it as the latter ride around the left hand sprocket 40, move away from and release the upper end of the container C completing the traverse. The upper ight of the conveyor 11 then continues to move the released container to the left or delivery end of the machine.

All labelling operations occur on each succeeding container in the period during which the containers are clamped by the clamping means 54 as hereinabove described.

The labels L which are to be applied to the containers C are, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, carried in a label magazine 65. This magazine 65 is of conventional construction including in the embodiment shown a base plate 66. The base plate 66 is supported horizontally in any conventional way from the top of the table and is vertically adjustable relative thereto. A pair of spaced apart guide rails 67 are supported vertically in parallelism from the lupper face of base plate 66. These guide rails 67 are adjustable relative to each other so that their spacing may be changed to accommodate labels of different dimensions should the occasion arise. The forward ends 67a of the rails 67 are bent inwardly toward each other to provide restraint for the pile of labels L so that they will not be pushed out of the magazine under the action of conventional pusher mechanism 68 which may be of the spring loaded or weight loaded type.

The labels L are adapted to be wtihdrawn one by one from the magazine 65 past the restraining ends 67a by an oscillatory suction head 70. In the embodiment shown, the suction head 70 oscillates in a horizontal plane and is carried on the outer end of an arm 71 which latter is secured on a rotatable, vertically extending stub shaft 72. A crank arm 73 is secured to the shaft 72. A cam follower 74 is secured to the outer end of the arm 73. This cam follower 74 is biased into engagement with a cam 75 by an appropriate biasing spring 76. The cam 75 is supported for rotation in a horizontal plane on a vertical shaft 77 to which it is fixed. The shaft 77 is driven as will be presently described. Rotation of the cam 75 in the direction of the arrow, indicated in Fig. 3 causes it to act upon the cam follower 74 so that periodically the suction head 70 will be moved from its full line position shown in Fig. 3 to its dotted line also seen in the same figure at which time appropriate suction openings (not shown) in the suction head rest against the foremost label L at the delivery end of the label magazine 65. Reverse motion of the suction head 70 away from its dotted position to its full line position also caused by the action of cam 75 on cam follower 74 causes the head 70 to withdraw a single label L past the inwardly bent ends 67a of the guide rails 67.

The face of suction head 70 that is movedinto contact with the labels in the magazine has an area that is smaller than the area of the labels which is contacts and withdraws one by one from the magazine 65. Moreover, this suction head 70 is positioned on the arm 71v so that its contact with the labels in the magazine is substantially centralized relative to the surface areavof the labels. In consequence a peripheral margin of each label withdrawn projects outwardly of the area defined by said face of said suction head 70. Thus when the head 70 arrives at its full line position shown in Fig. 3, the forwardly projecting marginal portion of the label carried by it extends into the path of travel of positively acting label pick-olf and transfer mechanism 80.

The label pickoff and transfer mechanism 80 in the embodiment shown includes a disc 81 mounted for horizontal rotation on and by the vertically driven shaft 77. A pair of pickoif heads 82 are secured to the upper face of the disc 81 at diametrically opposite points. As the pickoff heads 82 are identical only one will be described. The pickoff head 82 includes a vertically extending outer arcuate surface 83, the center of whose radius of curvature is concentric with the axis of the shaft 77. A bevelled off face 83a is provided at the leading edge of surface 83. The arcuate surface 83 includes a relatively wide groove 84 which extends vertically. This groove 84 is filled with a resilient member 84a of rubber or the like. The outer surface of this member 84a lies substantially flush with arcuate surface 83.

A double armed rock lever 86 is pivotally supported on a vertical shaft 87 which is iixed on the head 82. One arm 88 of the rock lever 86 fxedly supports a grip per linger 89. The finger 89 is narrow and is positioned on the arm 88 so that in one position of the rock lever 86, the finger 89 will engage the tapered or bevelled oif face 83a of the arcuate surface 83. The other arm 91 of the rock lever 86 carries a cam follower roller 92. This cam follower roller 92 engages a stationary cam 93 arranged about the axis of the driven shaft 77. A biasing spring 94 serves to bias the cam follower 92 against the stationary cam 93. The cam 93, in the embodiment shown, has high portions 93a and low portions 93b, as a result of which, during rotation of the disc 81 with shaft 77, the finger 89 will be periodically rocked into and out of gripping engagement with the bevelled-off portion 83a of the arcuate surface 83. The direction of rotation of the disc 81 is counter-clockwise as seen in Fig. 3. The position of followers 92 in relation to the rotation of disc 81 is such that at the instant that the leading bevelledoff face 83a of one of the heads 82 in rotation of disc 81 engages the margin of the label L projecting from the suction head 70, the cam follower roller 92 arrives at a low portion 93h of the fixed cam 93 so that the gripping finger 89 under action of spring 94 clamps the label margin between it and the bevelled-off portion 83a. The label so gripped is pulled in sliding fashion and under tension from the suction face of the suction head 70. While such a label remains gripped as just described, further rotation of disc 81 carrying the pick-off head 82 sweeps the gripped label past adhesive applying means 100. i

The adhesive applying means includes a horizontally supported basin or receptacle 101 provided with a screened drainagle outlet 102. A roller 104 preferably of metal is supported above the bottom of the basin 101 on a driven, vertically extending shaft 105. An adjustable doctor blade 106 is positioned in proximity to and parallel with the surface of the roller 104 for the purposes of limiting the thickness of the layer of adhesive which is supplied to the roller 104. The adhesive is supplied to the roller 104 through an outlet nozzle 107 facing the surface of the roller 104 near the upper end of the latter. The adhesive is supplied to the nozzle 107 by a pipe 108 which is connected to the outlet side of a circulating pump P (Fig. 2). The drainage outlet 102 of the basin 101 is connected to the inlet side of the pump. The basin 101 is filled with adhesive from time to time and the adhesive from the basin is circulated via the outlet 102 of the tray through the pump, to the pipe 108, and out of nozzle 107 onto roller 104. On its passage out of nozzle 107 it spreads and flows downwardly on the surface of the driven roller 104. The doctor plate 106 regulates the thickness of the layer of adhesive received by the surface of roller 104. Excess adhesive scraped oif by the doctor plate 106 falls to the basin 101 and is recirculated.

An adhesive applying roller 110, either of rubber or having a rubberized or other resilient surface, is supported on a vertically extending shaft 111. The shaft 111 is carried on the end of a multi-armed lever 112. The lever 112 is pivoted at 113 to permit its oscillation on the vertical aXis of pivot 113. An arm 114; of the lever 112 carries a cam follower roller 115 on the arm 114 is biased into engagement with a rotary cam 116 carried and driven by shaft 77 by a biasing spring 117 connected to another arm 118 of the lever 112 and to a fixed part 119 extending from the top of the table 14B.

The rotary cam 116 is secured for rotation with the driven shaft 77. The cam 116 is so shaped that twice during each of its revolutions with shaft 77 it will act upon the cam follower 115 to swing the lever 112 about its pivot 113 and in opposition to the action of the biasing spring 117 so as to bring the surface of the adhesive applying roiler 11@ into intimate Contact with the adhesive bearing surface of the spreading roller 104i. Each time such contact occurs a thin film of adhesive is spread on the surface of the roller 116. The normal position of the adhesive applying rolier 11@ is one at which time it is out of contact with the surface of the spreader roller 194. in its normal position the outer surface of adhesive appying roller 11@ lies substantially tangent with the pitch circle described by the arcuate surfaces 83 of the pick-oft1 heads 82 of the label piclcofi mechanism 80. In consequence, each time one of said label pick-oit` heads 82 sweeps past the surface of the spreader roller 110, the particular label L gripped as described by a finger 89 associated with a particularpick-off head 82 will have adhesive applied on substantially its entire adhesive side. The only portion of said side to which adhesive will not be applied by roller 110 will be the small area covered by the tip of the gripping *finger 39. This area, however, is so small as to be insignificant.

The cam 116 is tired in a position on the shaft 77 so that its camming action on cam follower 115 and consequently on the roller 110 to press the latter into engagement with the adhesive applying roller d occurs at intervals between the periods when the pick-oii heads S2 are sweeping individual labels L past' the adhesive Spreading roller 11i?. inasmuch as at times there may be a failure of transfer of a label from the label magazine 65 to the suction head '70 or from the latter to a particular pick-off head 82, means are provided to prevent contact between the surface of the spreader roller 110 and the particular arcuate surface 83 with respect to which there has been failure of label transfer thus preventing the smearing of the surface 83 with adhesive.

This means as seen in Fig. 3, includes a sensing arm 120 which is supported by a block 1290 fixed to a vertical, rotatable shaft 121. A finger 12tb projects laterally and vertically from the forward end of arm 126 so as to be engageable by a label L under tension as the latter is being pulled off the suction head '70 by one of the pick-off heads 82. A double-armed lever 122 is carried by a second block 123 also iixed to the rotatable shaft 121. A

cam follower 124 is carried on one arm 11i/ia of lever 122. A biasing spring 1241) is connected to the second arm 12de of lever 122 and to a fixed part on table 10. This spring 12415 biases the cam follower 124 into engagement with the crank '73. A pin 125 extends laterally of the shaft 121 toward an edge of the crank 73 adjacent to a notch 1250 in the said edge of said crank 73. The mechanism just described constitutes a trip mechanism which must be operated by a label L under tension being pulled by a piel-off head 82 from the suction head 70 in order to permit the adhesive spreading roller 110 to be moved counterclockwise about'pivot 113 by biasing spring 117 to its adhesive spreading position when 'it lies substantially tangent to the pitch circle of the pick-off head arcuate surfaces 83. Unless this mechanism is tripped by the engagement of a label L under tension with the finger 12015, the pin 125 rests on the edge of crank 73 adjacent the notch 125g. In such position roller 110 is maintained out of its said tangent position. Tripping is effected by the tension applied to a label L on the suction head v70 when gripped by a tinger 89 of a particular pick-off head S2 as previously described. The tensioned label L as it is pulled off the suction head 70 engages the finger 1Mb of sensing arm 12h and rotates the latter clockwise as seen in Fig. 3 to bring pin 125 into registry with notch 12511. When this occurs, the biasing spring 117 acting on lever arm 118 permits the lever 112 to be swung on its pivot 113 in counter-clockwise direction to bring roller into its said'tangent position so that the label L which tripped the trip mechanism will be swept by its pick-off head k82 past the adhehive applying roller 11d1 and have adhesive applied to its adhesive side. The cam follower 124 actuated by oscillation of crank 73 acts to reset the tripping mechanism each time after a label L has been picked ott the suction head '70. Thus if no label is removed by the suction head 7i) from the label magazine 65, or if a gripping finger 89 fails to pick-off a label from Ithe suction head '70 the tripping mechanism will not be tripped, thus preventing the adhesive spreading roller from moving to its said position of tangency with said pitch circle. This prevents smearing of the arcuate surface 83 with adhesive in the event that a particular pick-off head 82 does not carry a label. It is important to prevent such smearing to prevent adhesion of labels to arcuate surfaces 83 and also to prevent smearing of adhesive on the imprinted sides of labels. The particular trip mechanism just described is effective in preventing such unwanted occurrences.

After a pick-off head 82 has swept a label past the adhive Spreading roller 110, the particular head 82 is further rotated by the disc 81 to bring the arcuate surface 83 carrying an adhesive bearing label gripped by the finger or gripper blade S9 into surface contact with a container C arriving simultaneously at the transfer location of the machine. At this time the particular container C has been clamped by a clamping member 57 as previously described so that it cannot be displaced on the upper flight of the conveyor 11. As the arcuate surface 83 of the particular pick-off head rolls around the surface of the particular container C, the resilient member 84a on the said pick-off head 82 applies yielding pressure to the label L against the surface of the said container C to provide an initial wide band of adhesion between the adhesive bearing side of the label L and the surface of the particu lar container C. The surface speeds of the particular container C moving forwardly on the conveyor 11 and of the arcuate surface 83 and resilient surface-84l are substantially identical. In consequence, there is no-slip between the contacting surface of theicont'ainer and the adhesive bearing side of the iabel.

Approximately at the moment the initial wide band adhesion has been effected, the cam follower roller 92 of the gripping finger 89 of the particular head b2 rides onto a high portion 93a of the cam 93 and rotates the gripping iinger S9 to a release position so that the label L which has been applied against the surface of the container C with initial wide band adhesion is released by iinger 89 and the label L remains yadhered to the container C to which it has been applied as just described. The label bearing container C continues to move forwardly with the upper iiight of the conveyor 11. However, the entire label has not yet been completely adhered to the surface of the container. Y in further traverse of the conveyor 11 each container bearing a label applied with initial Wide band adhesion is successively subjected tothe'operation of pressure pad mechanism 126 Awhich acts to -press the unadhered portions of each label into complete adhesive contact with each particular container C.

In the embodiment shown, the pressure pad mechanism 126 comprises a pair of spaced apart pressure pad heads 127 and 12711. The concave surfaces of these heads 127, 12711 are each lined with a resilient lining 128 of rubber or equivalent material. The two heads 127 and 12711 are mounted respectively on the horizontally disposed rods 130 and 13011. These rods 130 and 13011 are slidably borne in the respective brackets 131 and 13111. The brackets 131, 13111 are fixed to the vertical supports 132 and 13211 which latter are ixedly mounted on a horizontally disposed carried 134. The rods 1-30 and 13011 are biased by springs 135 and 13511 to urge their respective heads 127 and 12711 forwardly toward the conveyor 11. Stops 137 and 13711 on the rods 130 and 13011 limit the biasing action of springs 135, 13511 on said heads 127, 12711 in their forward direction.

The carriage 134 is slidably supported on a horizontally disposed link 138. This link 138 is pivotally connected adjacent to its opposite ends to a pair of horizontally disposed cranks 139, 13911. These cranks 139, 13911 are xed respectively to the vertical shafts 141, 14111. The two shafts are coupled, for example, by the sprockets 142, 14211 and the sprocket chain 143, for synchronous rotation when one of the shafts, for example, the shaft 141, is driven. A substantially heart-shaped cam 145 is fixed as by bolts 146 to the crank 13911 for rotation with the latter in a horizontal plane about the axis of the shaft 14111. A cam follower 147 to track around cam 145 is secured to the underside of the carriage 134. This cam follower 147 is biased into peripheral surface contact with the cam 145 as by the biasing spring 148 whose opposite ends are secured respectively to the downwardly extending pin 149 carried by the link 138 and the downwardly extending pin 154 secured to the underside of the carriage 134. The net motion of the carriage 134 imparted to it as a result of the rotation of the cranks 139 and 13911 is governed not only by the rotation of said two cranks 139, 13911 but also by the action of the heart-shaped cam 145 on the cam follower 147. The resultant motion of the carriage 134 which carries the presser heads 127 and 12711 as described is as follows: It moves reciprocally toward and away from the conveyor 11 and in addition moves parallel with the linear direction of motion of the conveyor 11. At the same time, because the carriage 134 is slidable on the link 138, and the heart-shaped cam 145 is xed to the crank 13911, there is a relative motion between the carriage 134 and the link 138 so that the actual linear speed of travel of the carriage 134 is uniform while it is moving in parallelism with the conveyor 11, and is substantially synchronous therewith even though the speed of travel of the link 138 itself is variable. It is important to maintain synchronous speed of travel of the carriage 134 and conveyor 11 in order that when the presser heads 127, 12711 which are carried by the carriage are moved toward the conveyor 11 and into pressing engagement with label bearing containers C arriving for engagement with the heads, there will be no relative linear movement between the heads and the label bearing containers. The speed of linear motion of the link 138 itself imparted to it ^by the cranks 139, 13911 varies as a trigonometn'c function in the linear direction of travel of the conveyor 11. The action of the cam 145 on the-slidable carriage 134 carried by the link 138 is to provide a constant linear speed to the carriage 134 which is synchronous with ythe linear speed of travel of the conveyor 11.

Occasions may arise during operation of the machine kwhen no containers to be labelled appear at the entry end of the upper flight of conveyor 11. As the machine is designed to operate as a continuous motion one, labels will continue to be removed from the label magazine 65 by the suction head 70 and transferred for application to a container C at the transfer point or location. If no container C arrives at the said location, the particular label will be released by the hereinbefore described cam operation on the gripping fingers 89 and be Wasted. To avoid this, waste preventing means are provided which will prevent label removing operation of the suction head 70 relative to the magazine 65 whenever no containers C are present on the conveyor 11 to which labels can be applied. This waste preventing means as seen in Figs. l, 3 and 4 comprises a feeler arm or lever 150. This feeler arm is pivotally supported by a vertical pivot 151 extending from a block 152 secured to the table 1@ adjacent the rear edge of the upper flight of conveyor 11 in advance of the position of the retarding member 21. An electrical switch 153 of conventional type, for example, a microswitch, having a spring actuated operating pin 154 protruding therefrom is secured to the block 152 so that the pin 154 engages the rear edge of feeler arm 150 and biases the said arm toward the dotted position of Fig. 4. In such dotted position the front edge 15011 of lever 150 lies in the path of travel of the containers C on the upper flight of conveyor 11. Also, in such dotted position of feeler arm 150 the switch 153 is in closed circuit condition. When containers are present on conveyor 11 in advance of the retarding member 21 and moving past the arm 150, they operate to swing arm 150 to the full line positionv shown in Fig. 4, pressing pin 154 inwardly of switch 153 to open the switch. The contacts of the switch 153 are connected electrically to a power source (not shown) and to the energizing coil 155 (Fig. 3) of a conventional plunger type solenoid 156. This solenoid 156 is secured to the table 10 and includes a core or plunger 157 that is drawn inwardly of coil 155 whenever the latter is energized against the opposing action of a biasing spring 158.

A lever 159 is pivotally supported at 160 from a bracket 161 carried by a frame part of the solenoid 156. One end of the lever 159 is loosely coupled at 162 to the outer end of the core or plunger 157 so that the lever 159 swings about pivot 160 in response to movement of the core or plunger 157. In the de-energized condition of coil 155 the core 157 is drawn outwardly of the coil as seen in Fig. 3, and at this time the end 164 of lever 159 lies clear of the swinging path of travel of an arm 165 which is secured to the swing lever 71 that carries suction head 70. As long as the coil 155 is maintained in de-energized condition by an open circuit at switch 153, the end 164 of lever 159 will not engage arm 165 and will have no effect on periodic oscillation of swing lever 71 in response to rotation of cam 75. 1 However, whenever containers C fail to appear on the conveyor 11 to move feeler lever 150 to switch opening position, the switch 153 closes and the coil 155 becomes energized. Such energization draws the core or plunger 157 inwardly causing it to swing lever 159 in a clockwise direction to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 3 so that its end will engage the arm 165 when the rock lever 71 has been swung to its dotted position in Fig. 3. As a result, the rock lever 71 will be held in its dotted position thus preventing any further oscillating motion thereof and thereby stopping removal of labels from magazine 65 until the coil 155 is again de-energized by opening of the switch 153.

The provision of the waste preventing means just described, as well as the tripping mechanism that prevents application of adhesive to the arcuate surfaces 83 of the pick-olf heads 82 when no labels are carried by the latter permits continuous operation of the machine without any waste of labels or damage to machine parts.

In the embodiment shown, as seen in Figs. 10 and l1, all driven parts of the machine are actuated by a single motor carried on the base 171 of the machine below the table 10. This motor through a belt 172, drives a horizontal shaft 173 which through a gear box 174 drives a vertical shaft'176. The vertical crank bearing shaft 141 is driven from shaft 176 as by the sprocket chain 177. Crank bearing shaft 14111 is driven at the same speed as crank'bear'ing shaft 141 as previously described from shaft 141by the sprocket chain 143. A vertical shaft 178 is driven by the vertical driven shaft 176 by a sprocket chain 179. A sprocket chain 180 connecting sprockets on shafts 178 and 77 carrying discs S1 and cams 75 and 116 drives shaft 77. A second sprocket chain 1551 connecting sprockets on shafts 178 and 51 drives shaft 51, thus driving chain 38. Meshing gears 182, 133 on driven shaft 51 and on horizontal shaft 184 drive the latter. Meshing bevel gears 185, 186 on shaft 184 and on shaft 16 drive the latter and, in consequence, the sprocket wheel 12a whcih drives the conveyor 11.

A sprocket chain 137 connecting sprockets on the shafts 77 and on a vertical shaft 18S drives the latter. Meshing gears 189 and 190 respectively on shaft 188 and on shaft 26 drive the latter thereby driving the disc 24, 24a of the feeding and spacing means 22. Sprockets on shaft 188 and on shaft 105 connected by the sprocket chain 191 drive said shaft 105 and thereby the adhesive receiving roller 104.

The pump P (Fig. 2) for circulating adhesive from the basin 101 to the roller 104 via the nozzle 1&7 may be driven conveniently by having its shaft (not shown) coupled by a chain drive 195 to the roller carrying shaft 105. The suction pump (not shown) that provides suction through suction conduit 196 at the suction head 70 may be driven in any convenient manner by coupling of its shaft to one of the driven shafts hereinbefore mentionecl. Suction to conduit 196 may be provided in any other desirable way.

The single motor 170 serves to drive all the moving parts of the machine, it being understood, of course, that selected drive ratios are used between gears and sprockets in coupling the various driven shafts described with the said motor 17? to effect properly timed operation of the various moving parts and mechanisms of the machine as hereinbefore described. lt is further understood that equivalent mechanical drive means between the motor 17 u and the various driven shafts may be substituted for those described. For example, the chain and sprocket drives described may be replaced entirely by gearing if desired, or by other suitable drive couplings.

Operation The machine operates generally as follows while the motor 170 is running. Unlabelled containers C are placed on the delivery end of the upper fiight of the moving conveyor 11 which moves them forwardly past the feeler arm 150 toward the retarding member 21, which ,periodically moves out of the path of the containers C to allow not more than two at a time to pass it. The unlabelled containers C allowed to pass the retarding member 21 are moved further by the conveyor 11 and are engaged one at a time in a pair of vertically aligned recesses 24a, 25a of the discs 24, 25 of the feeding and spacing means 22. The latter acts to feed such containers positively and one by one to `arrive at the transfer point or location just as a clamping pad 57 of one of the clamping means 54 on chain 3S arrives in position to clamp the arriving container C against the upper flight of conveyor 11.

During the period of movement of the unlabelled containers C as just described, the rotation of shaft 77 carrying cam 75 has caused the later to swing crank arm 73, shaft 72, arm 71 and suction head 70 to bring the latter into Contact with the leading label L in magazine 65 and to withdraw said label from said magazine in a return swing of arm 71 to the full line position of Fig. 3. The said individual label L on the suction head is then in position to be picked-off the suction head 70 by that one of the two pickoff heads 82 on disc 81 sweeping past the particular label L. The finger 89 of the head 82 is then actuated by cam 93 to clamp the label against the bevelled surface 83a of the particular pick-off head 82 as hereinbefore described. The particular label L thus clamped on the particular pick-off head'SZ is carried Cil by the latter toward the transfer point or location. ln its travel it is swept past the adhesive applying roller 110 which itself has had adhesive spread thereon by contact with the adhesive receiving roller 14d/i as a result of action of cam 116 on cam follower 114. in the sweep of the particular label L past the roller 110, adhesive is spread upon substantially its entire adhesive side. The particular adhesive bearing labelL L carried by the particular head 82 then arrives at the transfer point llocation at the same 'time as a clamped container C arrives there. The resilient member 84a in the arcuate surface 83 of the 'label bearing Vpick-off and transfer head 82, at this time presses the adhesive bearing label L into initial wide band adhesion with the said clamped container C. The wide band adhesion is important because immediately thereafter the cam 93 causes the gripping finger S9 to release the label which has been adhered to the particular container C. If merely line contact adhesion were effected between the label and the container, the label would be likely to become displaced relative to the container. However, the initial wide band adhesion between container and label precludes such occurrence.

After initial wide band adhesion between the particular label and particular container, the label bearing container still in clamped condition on conveyor 11 continues to move with the latter and with chain 38. While moving along with the conveyor the label bearing container C is acted upon by the pressure pad head 127 whose concave resilient surface 123 presses the remaining unadhered portions of the particular label L to the particular container C. The head 127 travels at synchronous speed with the linear speed of travel of the said particular clamped container on the conveyor for a short distance of its linear motion. Then under action of cranks 139, 13961, the head 127 is moved away from the particular clamped container which continues to move along with conveyor 11. The said particular container C bearing the substantially fully adhered label is then further acted upon in similar manner by the second pressure pad head 12711. The purpose of the second pressure pad head 127a is to complement the action of the first pressure pad head 127 to make certain that the label has been completely pressed into adhesive contact with the particular container C. Any spots or portions of the label that failed to adhere under action of the rst pressure head 127 are adhered to the particular container C by the pressing action of the second pressure pad head 127g. The spacing of the clamped containers on the conveyor 11 provided by the action of the feeding and spacing means 22 and clamping means 56 is such that while the second pressure pad head 127e: is acting upon the particular container C and particular adhered label L previously acted upon by the first pressure pad head 127, the latter is acting upon the next following container C bearing a label with initial wide band adhesion. When action of the second pressure pad head 127a is completed, the conveyor 11 moves the container C now bearing a completely adhered label L toward the right or delivery end of the machine and while this occurs the chain 38 moves the particular clamping means 57 holding such container out of clamping engagement therewith. Such container C, after being unclamped, continues to move with conveyor 11 to its delivery end where it is removed for packing or other operations.

Each succeeding unlabeled container C is acted upon identically and has a label applied to it as just described. Since the conveyor 11 moves continuously, no time is lost and labeling operations are rapid and continuous. The container labeling capacity of the machine is relatively high being in the present embodiment of the order of approximately containers per minute. This rate may, of course, be increased or decreased by changing the speed of vdrive of the described mechanisms and means.

In the event of absence of labels in the magazine 65,

or in the event of failure of a pick-olf head 82 to pickoif a label from the suction head 70, the trip mechanism hereinbefore described will prevent application of adhesive to the surface 83 of the particular pick-olf head 82 involved. In the event that no containers are present on the conveyor 11 to operate the feeler arm 150, the latter will be moved to close the circuit to solenoid coil 155 and thus energize it so that the suction head 70 will be rendered inoperative as hereinbefore described and thus prevent removal of labels from the magazine 65. Thus the machine may be allowed to run continuously without injury to its component parts and without waste. An advantage of permitting it to operate continuously, is that the adhesive in basin 101 and on rollers 104 and 110 will not dry up during non-labeling periods of operation of the machine because of the continuous circulation thereof by the pump P.

There are presently on the market labels whose back faces are coated with thermoplastic adhesives, which are adhesively activated by heat. The machine of this invention can be utilized to apply such labels by very simple changes. For example, a heating coil 200 may be embedded in suction head 70 to heat the latter so that when it picks up a label from the magazine 65 the head will heat a wide band at the center of the label to render its back face adhesively active. The glue applying roller 110 will be removed or maintained out of the path of travel of the label on pick-off head 82 to the transfer point or location. At the latter point the heat activated adhesive portion of the label is pressed into initial wide band adhesiion with the clamped container C.

Thereafter, the label bearing container is acted upon successively by the pressure pad heads 127 and 127:1 as previously described. The first of these heads, namely, head 127 has a heating coil 201 embedded therein which causes said head to heat the entire label acted upon by said head to activate all of the adhesive thereon so that the label will be completely adhered to the container by the action of heads 127 and 127:1 as previously described. To augment the heating action of the coil 201, radiant heat from any source (not shown) may be directed toward the containers bearing initially wide band adhered labels in their paths of travel from the transfer point or location to a point at or near the location of pressure pad head 127:1. The use of such radiant heat is optional depending upon whether or not the coil 201 in pad head 127 develops enough heat to activate the adhesive of the labels.

When ordinary labels using ordinary adhesive are employed, the heating coils 200 and 201 and the radiant heat source are not energized. The adhesive applying mechanism is then in operative position.

It is to be understood that labels may be applied simultaneously at diametrically opposite points to the containers C by duplicating at the back side of the conveyor 11 the label magazine 65 and other elements shown located at its front side.

While specific embodiments of the machine and its component means and mechanisms have been described, variations in structural detail of each or any within the scope of the claims are possible and are contemplated. There is no intention, therefore, of limitation to the exact details shown and described.

What is claimed is:

l. In a continuous motion labeling machine, means for moving containers in clamped condition along a linear path of travel, the clamped condition of the containers providing positive feed thereof in fixed spaced relationship during their movement along said path, means for moving said first-named means continuously, a label magazine, means for transferring labels individually from said magazine for application succesively to individual clamped containers, means for applying adhesive to the individual labels during transfer, means for effecting initial wide band adhesion between individual labels and individual clamped containers, said last-named means including a label bearing and transfer head having an arcuate surface on lwhich a label lies during its application to a container, andl a resilient member in a portion of said surface coextensive with a wide band area of each label lying on said surface, and said resilient member yielding during application of each label borne by said head to a clamped container to elect said initial wide band adhesion, and pressure pad means for providing complete surface adhesion between adhesive bearing individual labels and individual containers subsequent to the initial wide band adhesion between said individual labels and said individual containers.

2. In a continuous motion labeling machine, means for moving containers in clamped condition along a linear path of travel, the clamped condition of the containers providing positive feed thereof in fixed spaced relationship during their movement along said path, means for moving said first-named means continuously, means for applying labels bearing adhesive on a face of each individually to successive containers with an initial wide band of adhesion between each label and the container to which it has been applied, said last-named means including a label 4bearing and transfer head having an arcuate surface on which a label lies during its application to a container, and a resilient member in a portion of said surface coextensive with a wide band area of each label lying on said surface, and said' resilient member yielding during applifcation of each label borne by said head to a clamped container to effect said initial wide band adhesion, and pressure pad means for subsequently pressing unadhered adhesive bearing portions of each label into adhesive contact with the container to which it has been initially applied with wide band adhesion, said pressure pad means including a pair of cranks, a link connecting the cranks, a carriage slidably supported on the link, cam means for imparting linear motion to the carriage on the link, and a pair of spaced apart pressure pads mounted on the carriage andkmovable by the rotation of said cranks into pressing engagement with containers bearing labels as initially adhered thereto with wide band adhesion during linear motion of the last-named containers.

3. In a continuous motion labeling machine means for moving containers in clamped condition along a linear path of travel, the clamped condition of the containers providing positive feed thereof in fixed spaced relationship during their movement along said path to insure accurate and timely arrival of successive containers at a label applying position, means for moving said first-named means continuously, means for applying labels bearing adhesive on a face of each individually to successive containers at said position with an initial wide band of adhesion between each label and the container to which it has been applied -and pressure pad means for subsequently pressing unadhered adhesive bearing portions of each label into adhesive contact with the container to which it has been initially applied with wide band adhesion, said pressure pad means including a pair of synchronously rotating cranks, a link connecting the cranks, a carriage slidably supported on the link, a cam Xed to one of the cranks, a cam follower secured to the carriage, biasing means for maintaining contact between the cam follower and the cam, and a pressure pad mounted on the carriage and movable therewith toward and away from containers having labels as initially applied thereto with wide band adhesion and linearly at synchronous speed with the speed of linear travel of said last-named containers to press unadhered adhesive bearing portions of each label into complete adhesive contact with the container to which it has been initially applied with wide band adhesion.

4. A continuous motion labeling machine comprising an endless conveyor having an upper horizontal flight on which containers to be labeled are received for movement through the machine, an endless chain having a lower flight overlying the upper ight of the conveyor and movable in parallelism with said -upper ight and at synchronous speedtherewith, means for movingsaid endless conveyor and said endless ychain continuously, `Clamping means mounted at spaced apart points on said chain, each such clamping means being engageable with a container carried onithe upper `iiigl'it of the conveyor to clamp it on the latter during a portion-of the travel of the conveyor and to maintain each clamped container inXe, spaced relationship relative to the next-following clamped containers during said portion of the travel of the conveyor and to insure accurate and timely arrival of successive clamped containers at a label applying position, container feedimT and spacing means adjacent the start vof said portion of travel of the conveyor to feed and locate successive containers in spaced relationship for engagement by successive of said clamping means, alabel magazine, means for removing labels individually from said magazine, means for transferring each individually removed label from said last-named means for application to a clamped container on the conveyor means, adhesive applying means in the path of travel of the individual labels while they are being transferred to a clamped container for applying an adhesive coating to substantially an entire side of each individual label, ysaid transferring meanshaving a resilient surface adapted to provide initial wide band surface contact and adhesion between the adhesive bearing side of an individual label and an individual clamped container at said label applying position, and pressure pad means movable reciprocally toward and away from clamped containers and also at synchronous speed in the direction of motion of the clamped containers on the conveyor for pressing the entire adhesive bearing side or individual labels against individual clamped containers at locations beyond said label applying position whereat the initial wide band adhesion between individual labels and individual containers has'been eected.

5. in a continuous motion labeling machine, conveyor means for moving spaced containers in clamped condition along a linear path of travel, the clamped condition of the containers providing positive feed thereof in ixed spaced relationship vduring their movement along said path to effect accurate and timely arrival of successive I@ containers at a label applying position and to prevent displacement of said clamped containers during application-of labels thereto at said labelapplying position, means for continuously moving lsaidconveyor means, means at said label applying position for adhering labels bearing adhesive spread substantially entirely over one face thereof individually to clamped individual of said containers during movement of the latter with an initial wide band of adhesion `between `the labels and the containers, and pressure pad 4means operative subsequently on successive of the clamped containers bearing .wide band adhered labels thereon for pressing .unadhered adhesive bearing portions of each label into complete adhesive contact with the particular clamped container to which it has been initially applied with Wide band adhesion, said pressure pad means comprising a pair of cranks, a link connecting said cranks, a carriage on said link slidable relative thereto, a cam fixed yto one of said cranks, a cam follower on said carriage, means `forbiasing said cam follower against said cam, and a vpair of parallely extending pressure pads carried by the carriage and movable with the latter for pressing kengagement. successively with label bearing containers in response to the compound motion of said carriage Aeected by movement thereof yby the crank operated link and the operation of said cam on said cam follower.

References Cited inthe tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,998,067 Arelt et a1. Apr. 16, 1935 2,115,061 Darling Apr. 26, 1938 2,214,096 Weiss Sept. Vl0, 1940 2,280,730 Talbot Apr. 2l, 1942 2,316,531 Nivling Apr. 13, 1943 2,391,694 Everett Dec. 25, 1945 2,525,741 Von Hofe Oct. 10, 1950 2,579,631 Von Hofe et al. Dec. 25, 1951 2,635,776 Cook et al. Apr. 21, 19534 2,682,254 Nicholson June 29, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 384,631 Germany Nov. 24, 1923 977,758 France Nov. 15, 1950 

